[nickgauntlett]

hi all,

i have just been told that 2 of the 4, 14 week chicks i have are silkie x pekin bantams (and the other two are pekin bantam and a silkie), i have no idea on what they will look like or how the will behave etc... and was hoping for any advice on this subject, such as are they like the proper silkies - broody on a regular basis? are they friendly with other birds? etc....


Many thanks

[orchardlady]

I have a couple of Pekin Bantams (widowed last year after a fox attack) and they are lovely birds. They live with my laying flock of mostly standard sized hens and are by no means at the bottom of the pecking order. They can assert themselves very well and are the most delightful and pretty birds to watch scratching around. Both go broodie in the summer (both broodie at the moment) and are good sound mothers who look after their chicks with determination and loyal care.

Orchadlady

[bantam novice]

Hello Nickgauntlett,
I don't know much about Pekins but I have some Silkie cross Light Sussex bantams and as I understand it Silkies do go broody quite a lot and make very good clutch mothers.  I love mine and yes they do go broody every now and then but they seem to lay well when they are not broody.
It sounds as if you have bantams that will be good at brooding and raising clutches and you will have eggs when they are not broody. 

[nickgauntlett]

thanks for the advice and encouragement, wasn't planning on letting the silkies be mothers but im starting to warm up to the idea, so i will be able to take advantage of having silkies

Thanks again

[jinty1911]

Where are the pics?  We love photo's.  Anything Silky or Pekin will go broody, but they are lovely friendly birds. 

[nickgauntlett]

here is the coop and run before the gravel was added

[bantam novice]

Lovely pics  .  They are soooo cute!

[OpiumEater]

Cor that hen house was a close thing 

We used the same area in our house for our run, works a treat and your chickens are so lovely. 

[jinty1911]

They are beautiful.  Love the Gold Laced but am bias  I have a white pekin that has just gone broody.